Roof Cleaning in Erie, PA

ERIE ROOF CLEANING – BRINK ROOFING

Roof Cleaning is a service that Brink Roofing offers in Erie, PA and surrounding areas. Roof moss, roof mildew, black algae, roof stains, and roofing algae are all major problems. If your roof has any of these..then it needs to be cleaned.

You have probably noticed the ugly black roof stains and considered cleaning your roof. It is important to keep your roof clean of debris and any of the above mentioned items.They not only look bad, but they are also causing damage to your roof.

Brink Roofing has found that there is a lot of conflicting information about how to clean and maintain your roof. We will share a few points to keep in mind.

One of the first things you will notice when researching roof cleaning online is that it is often presented as an easy, do-it-yourself project. Just mix some bleach water in a sprayer and head on up. While briefly mentioning safety, most of these articles ignore the fact that your roof is the most dangerous place on your property. In addition to the normal dangers of being on the roof, the addition of water, especially on roofs with mold or algae, makes the roof slippery and even more dangerous than it would be under normal conditions.

Another step often included in these instructions is to use a brush to scrub the roof. This can be very damaging to asphalt shingles, as the main component of the shingles that protects the asphalt is the granules embedded in them. Any sort of heavy scrubbing can remove these protective granules and significantly reduce the lifespan of your shingles. Don’t scrub your shingles with a brush. A proffessional knows how to remove the algae without damaging your roof. Brink Roofing has trained technicians to clean the algae and moss off of your roof.

In addition to scrubbing, some will advocate the spraying the roof with a pressure water. Again, this can remove the protective granules from the shingle and cause significant damage. Another problem is spraying the roof with water from the ground. Roofing materials are designed to shed water that is falling from above. When you spray from below you are spraying under the roofing materials and this creates the potential to lift and damage the shingles as well as drive water under them and creating leaks. Spraying from the ground adds the risk of the chemical blowing back into your face by high winds.

These are just a few potential problems with cleaning your roof. A trained professional knows how to extend the life of your roof. If you are considering cleaning your roof, give us a call. Brink Roofing can provide you a quote for a safe roof cleaning that will extend the life of your roof! Call 814-898-4663 for a free roof cleaning estimate.

What are the black roof stains? Is it roof algae?

The black stains are actually an algae that is called Gloeocapsa Magma

Why doesn’t my neighbor have the same problem? Their shingles are much older than ours?

Older shingles didn’t used to have crushed limestone filler?

Why did they switch to limestone filler? When they switched to a fiberglass matting for shingles …the shingles needed more weight.

Were there any other reasons why they switched to limestone filler? The cost of crushed limestone is much less than asphalt.

Does black algae harm the shingles – Shingles have ceramic granules. These granules help reflect the sun and protect the shingles from the damages that ultra violet rays produce. The black algae prohibits the granules from reflecting the sun. This causes the roof to heat up and the shingle to deteriorate quicker. This can also drive up the cost of air conditioning your home in the summer. Holds moisture within shingles causing premature aging, rotting, and/or granule loss.

What is Roof Lichen?

Roof Lichen is the hardest to remove without causing more damage to the roof. The roof lichen latches onto the shingles with roots. It is usually a greenish gray color. Lichen actually produces an acid that will disintegrate the ceramic granules. This gives the lichen a better grip on the shingle and can turn the granules into dirt. That’s why when you kill the lichen…you will see black spots where the lichen has eaten the granules below it. Lichen can survive in all temperatures. It can be found where it is very hot down south, but can also be found in the extremely cold artic.

Does roof algae create any health risks for me and my family?

It can be. Very small spores can make it in to your home through an open window or air conditioner. Mold can trigger allergic reactions, coughing, sneezing, and trouble with asthma. Remember the longer you let the algae grow the harder it is to eliminate.